Underwater fuel storage system



UNDER WATER FUEL STORAGE SYSTEM Filed Nov. 1942 FIGURE Y mmvrom' WILLISJ. BENCKERT AT 1- NEY Patented Aug. 28, 1 945 Willis J. Benckert, BaltimGlenn L. Martin Com ore, Md., assignor to The pany, Middle River, Md.,

a corporation of Maryland Application November 6, 1942, Serial No.464,742

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an underwater storage system which provides areadily accessible fuel supply for boats and seaplanes.

For patrol duty, by either power boats or seaplanes, it is neithereflicient nor desirable to have a few large bases to which the patrolcraft must return for fueling. Such bases are not only costly and timeconsuming in their construction, but are very vulnerable to attack.

This invention affords a fuel supply system which can be locatedunderwater and easily concealed from observation from land or air. Suchfuel supply systems may be located atfrequent intervals along the routeof boats or seaplanes, thus affording many spots where the fuel supplymay be replenished without returning to the main base.

The construction of the fuel supply system of this invention isrelatively inexpensive for the capacity of the system, and requires nopower supply to pump fuel to the craft.

The only portion of the system visible on the surface of the water, is asmall float supporting the nozzle which may be camouflaged.

Further and other objects will become apparent from the description ofthe accompanying drawing which forms a part of this disclosure and inwhich like numerals refer to like parts.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view partly in section, of thesystem.

Figure 2 shows a modification of the fuel storage system.

Figure 1 of the drawing shows a metal tank I having a concrete base 2acting as ballast to maintain the tank in a fixed, submerged position.

The tank may be detachably connected to the base to facilitate theinstallation of the tank and ballast, and to permit the raising of thetank for repair. A pipe 3 extends from the top of the tank, or somepoint near the top, affording communication from a point adjacent theinside bottom portion part of the tank and the outside water. A floatoperated valve i is located at the bottom of pipe 3. A fuel deliveryline 5 extends from the top of the tank through a generous length ofhose to a small floating buoy 6. The fuel delivery line terminates in avalved nozzle 1. The buoy is so designed that it just floats on thesurface of the water. The buoy can be of any floating constructionhaving a hole therethrough, the ends of which are flared so that thehose may be pulled up through the buoy to reach the filling opening inthe hull of a seaplane or a water craft, and after servicing this craft,the hose will slide of its own weight, through the opening until thenozzle reaches the buoy.- A gauge in attached to the nozzle, indicatesthe staticpressure in the delivery line and thus gives an indication ofthe liquid level of the gasoline in the tank.

The system is operated by the difference in density of gasoline andwater. The gasoline weighs approximately 45 pounds per cubic foot,whereas, sea water weighs approximately 64 pounds per cubic foot. Usinga delivery hose of two inches inside diameter and calculating the lengthof the hose from' the tank to the buoy so that there will be no sharpbends, the practical working limits for such a system extends fromaround 30 feet to feet in depth. For example, at a 30 foot depth and adelivery hose of 100 foot length, in sea water, gasoline will bedischarged at avelocity of about 6.38 feet per second, or a discharge of1.044 gallons per second, or in other words, 1500 gallons would bedischarged in 24 minutes. A cylindrical tank of about 8 feet in diameterand 8 feet high has the capacity of about 3000 gallons. It can readilybe seen that it is entirely feasible to install many of such relativelysmall tanks along the coast and have a large distributed fuel supply forservicing patrol craft. One such tank would easily service two largepatrol bombers.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, the base or anchor 8 hasdetachably secured thereto a flexible fuel containing cell 9.- Thiscellwould be of similar construction to the Mareng cell widely used as aflexible-walled gasoline or'oil container. communication with the wateror valve, and Works more successfully with a pyramid-shaped cell, orconical construction to minimize strains on the walls of the fuel cellsas it is collapsed by the pressure of the water upon delivery of thefuel from the nozzle of the hose.

To refill these fuel systems, it is merely necessary for a supply tankerto attach a supply hose to nozzle 1 and pump with enough pressure toovercome the pressure of the water. Valve 1 is merely a hinged disc onthe bottom of pipe 3 which is actuated by a float of selected densitythat will float in water but not in gasoline. This valve will close whenthe water level in the tank nears the bottom as the tank is beingrefilled with gasoline. The pressure indicated on the guage willindicate that the tank is filled.

It is to be understood that certain changes, alterations, modifications,and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

This modification requires no I I claim as my invention:

1. An underwater fuel storage system comprising a rubber-like,collapsible fuel container, an anchor base to rest on the bottom of thebody of water in which said container is submerged, means to detachablysecure said container adiacent said base, a fuel hose having a valve onone end, a float to support .said valved-end of said fuel hose adjacentthe surface of the water, the other end of said fuel hose being incommunication with the top of said container and forming the sole,communication with the interior thereof whereby the hydrostatic pressureof the water will cause fuel to flow from the container to thevalved-end of said hose without contact between the water and the fuelin said container.

2. An underwater fuel storage system comprising a rubber-like,collapsible, generally conical, fuel container, an anchor base to reston the bottom of the body of waterin which said container is submerged,means to detachably secure said container adjacent said base, a fuelhose having a valve on one end, a float to support said valvedend ofsaid fuel hose adjacent the surface of the water, the other end of saidfuel hose being in communication with the top of said container andforming the sole communication with the interior thereof whereby thehydrostatic pressure of the water will cause fuel to flow from thecontainer to the valved-end of said hose without contact between thewater and the fuel in said container.

3. An underwater fuel storage system comprising a rubber-like,flexible-walled fuel container, an anchor base to rest on the bottom ofthe body of water in which said container is submerged, means todetachably secure said container adjacent said base, a fuel hose havinga valve on one end, a float to support said valvedend of said fuel hoseadjacent the surface of the water, the other end of said fuel hose beingin communication with the top of said container and forming the solecommunication with the interior thereof whereby the hydrostatic pressureof the water will cause fuel to flow from the container to thevalved-end of said hose without contact between the-water and the fuelin said container.

